Speeches by Western.

“So it is contracted out, very simply?”

“A final question: do you think there are any unintended consequences of the UK adopting a much more robust approach to those businesses using supply chains where there is known to be forced labour present in those factories?”

“It is a staggering number, isn’t it, compared to the number of outlets you have—700 cases?”

“You wrote to us, to the previous Committee, on 30 November 2023 saying that McDonald’s does not have a duty of care to workers within the outlets. Your tone today suggests that you have changed your view about that. To the public, the people working are McDonald’s workers. Are they McDonald’s workers? They wear McDonal…”

“Those working in the franchise restaurants wear the same uniforms do not they?”

“They are McDonald’s workers?”

“I have established that—that is very clear.”

“This contractor that you employ—is it a sole contract with Tesco or do they do contracts for other companies?”

“They are not Tesco employees?”

“It is very clear that you contract that out to an agency to do the checks subsequently to the establishment of the contract. I just want to be absolutely clear that when you set up that contract, it is set up by Tesco Plc staff going to Mae Sot, looking at the factory, looking at the working conditions and so on, and t…”

“You have a duty of care to those who are within your own sites but you do not have a duty of care to those who are not in your sites. So there is a difference between the two in terms of whether they are McDonald’s workers.”

“You have told us that you are determined to fix the problems that we have discussed and you have made certain claims just now saying that you want to establish a secure workplace, that there is no room in your business for these sorts of instances. Why do you not just accept liability, given that the sign across the do…”

“Very briefly, Ms Lorains, when you have a facility, a factory, that you contract to, say, in Mae Sot, when you take on a contract with them to supply particular garments manufactured there, do personnel employed by Tesco Plc, go out there and establish the contract with them and do the checks, and then subsequently do …”

“A question for you, Ms Lyons. This afternoon we have heard about the importance of supply chain and where there is opportunity for exploitation because of how opaque the supply chains are. The proposed Fair Work Agency will be responsible for enforcing the Modern Slavery Act but does not propose any amendments relating…”

“In your view, are we in deficit with our Modern Slavery Act compared to other nations such as the US, or to groups such as the European Union so that we absolutely need to tighten it and make it more comprehensive?”

“We heard earlier about jurisdictions where they can prevent goods coming into a country because they do not comply with the legislation of that country, and so contravene the equivalent of a Modern Slavery Act. Would you welcome that kind of legislation here in the UK?”

“Import bans.”

“The most recent USMCA trade deal allows the US to go into Mexico or wherever at factory level to undertake checks. Is that something you think we should be doing?”

“As part of that quality audit, would your auditors ask about the source of the materials that they are using to ensure the consistency of the product output?”

“The employees of SHEIN?”